Dairy Not Linked to Body Fat

Dairy foods, including full-fat types, are not associated with increased body fat or other metabolic risk factors, according to an Irish study in Nutrition & Diabetes.

In fact, people who ate the most dairy had lower body mass index, less body fat, higher insulin sensitivity (a good thing), and lower blood pressure than those who ate the least.

Milk and yogurt, in particular, were linked to lower body fat and lower inflammatory markers, while cheese was not associated, negatively or positively, with blood cholesterol, body fat, or various markers of metabolic health.

Some previous studies (though not all) support the no­­tion that dairy consumption has a modestly beneficial effect on body weight and body fat.